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Wednesday, April 9, 2014

A Little Of Everything

We had some fun on Tuesday evening as we had a little of everything involving the New York Ranger and New York Islander prospects. A single overtime game that ended a series, a double overtime game which got a team back into the series, a regulation game which regain home ice and a regulation game that basically said "it is a matter of time."

When Troy Donnay (NYR 2013 UFA) and Adam Pelech (NYI 2012 3rd) leave the Erie Otters to begin their professional careers can take a lot of pride in knowing they played roles in the rebirth of the Otter franchise. After last season there were people wondering not if but when would the Otters be moving elsewhere.

That was then and this was now as the Erie Otters needed overtime before scoring the series ending goal to complete a 4 game sweep of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds after a 3-2 win. While the twin defensive prospects were scoreless they got the job done on the defensive end as Erie spotted the Greyhounds a 2-0 lead early into the 2nd period and rallied to tie the game in regulation to force overtime where at 7:22 Erie scored to win the game and series.

For the first time since the 2002 OHL playoffs, the Otters will be playing in the OHL Conference Finals against the winner of the London/Guelph series (Guelph leads 2-1).

In the QMJHL, Ryan Graves (NYR 2013 4th) and his Val-d'Or Foreurs regained home ice advantage after a 5-2 win over the Drummondville Voltigeurs in game 3 of their QMJHL playoff series. The win gives the Foreurs a 2-1 series lead after dropping the series opener at home.

Graves was scoreless on 1 shot bit with 3 hits as his Foreurs spotted the Voltigeurs a 2-1 2nd period lead and answered back with 4 unanswered goals. Graves was a rock on defense as he and his fellow defenders clamped down on the Voltigeurs keeping them scoreless on 6 power plays in game 3 as the Foreurs are 3rd in the QMJHL on the penalty kill in the playoffs with an 88.5% kill percentage.

Game 4 will be on Wednesday evening in Drummondville.

In Blainville-Boisbriand, Loic Leduc and his Rimouski Oceanic were looking to take a commanding 3-0 series lead over the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada. No such luck as Leduc and his teammates fell in double overtime 2-1 to the Armada who are back in the series.

Leduc was scoreless in the game with a rough minor and 2 hits for his efforts. Neither team will get much rest as after playing 86:22 of hockey on Tuesday they will be right at it on Wednesday.

In Brandon, Griffin Reinhart (NYI 2012 1st) and his Edmonton Oil Kings are just 1 win away from appearing in their 3rd straight WHL Eastern Conference Finals after spanking Ryan Pulock (NYI 2013 1st) and his Brandon Wheat Kings 5-2 for a commanding 3-0 series lead. The Oil Kings used 4 third period goals to pull away from the Wheat Kings.

Neither prospect scored for their team but Ryan Pulock spent most of the final 4 minutes in the penalty box after frustrations got the best of him. Seriously if I was an Edmonton Oiler fan I would be wondering how come the Oil Kings can repeatedly make the WHL conference (and league finals) while the big team Oilers can't make the playoffs. Think the wrong people are running the wrong teams.

Game 4 will be on Wednesday and it will be interesting to see what kind of effort the Wheat Kings will bring.